ED Nature Watch

[Karrie]

Yes it does take them a while to know it's there. This is also the time to put the feed around, due that they will soon start to migrate to the south of the country from up north for the winter.

You can feel the difference in the air now as we head for autumn. This is my favourite time of year.

I've had my first beef tomatoes, no where near as flavoursome as gardeners delight, which I have been enjoying, but am glad to achieve a crop.

just to add - thistle seed looks a bit like tiny wild rice (black and long) they look the same to me

http://www.ebirdseed.com/nyjer_niger_thistle_birdseed.html

[Karrie]

Hello nature lovers again. I?m off for a while now. This time of year is a very special time for me so have decided to take a sabbatical/spiritual retreat kind of break for up to 4 months to make the most of it. The last 12 months or so have been a deeply challenging time for me, but have now gained a little improvement to my situation, which now brings me this opportunity. I have not had a holiday or break since 1995, so I think I deserve this time anyway.

I have read my last newspaper, I have watched my last TV programme, I now plan to completely connect to the most precious thing on this earth, which is ?life? itself. No, I don?t mean going out getting drunk and spending lots of money on materialistic things (I?m sure you realise this). I want to stop and experience my own breath and heartbeat, feeling the goodness of each step I walk on this earth and to connect to nature as I do it, day-by-day, in the present, so not having to think of past or future issues or what others expect or think of me etc.

I am now off to enjoy the autumn months in all its glory. The simple things in life are definitely the best things in life for me. It has been the only thing that keeps me going through the worst times. We should enjoy them more often, whenever we can. Health is the most important 'need' in life, in my opinion.

Unfortunately I have had to delete most of my posts for safety reasons, due to being made aware of lurkers and opportunists (I'm new to internet social networking), so done for safety while I am not around, especially if I decide to go out of ED for some of it.

I would like to finish by thanking my fellow nature lovers on this thread for contributing to what helped to get me through my recent bout of tough times, the content of this thread did keep me going. You are very special to me for that reason, as it helped me keep connected to what I spiritually have always believed is important.

I have provided one last photo for you, of an adult goldfinch, to make up for the one?s I have removed, but also to give a link to a song that does give the kind of message I am trying to say, [Hint] - Movin? out of the [human] rat race, to focus on appreciating ?living? simply, getting back to nature. The video is brilliant! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjYKqrf8fuIhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjYKqrf8fuI

This post is meant in a serious way, I have meant every word. I will never get bored with nature watching. Thanks again, this is also sincerely meant.

I will return some time in the New Year. I'm now off to live in the moment with nature :))

Best Wishes

K x

[Sue]

Hey, have a great time Karrie :) Hope you come back refreshed. Sounds a brilliant thing to do.

I had a PM about my source of bird food, so I thought I'd share this in case anyone else has been looking.

I didn't find the receipt from the supplier I used before, so I used Charlies Direct this time - www.charliesdirect.co.uk - it was the cheapest I could find, but you might do better if you can be bothered to google and then search through loads of possible sites!

120 Gardman Fat Snax for ?18.99 (though I think they had a limited number of packs left) and 12.75 kg Gardman No Mess Seed Mix for ?12.99.

There was a flat delivery charge of ?3.95 so if I had more storage space I would have bought more - but I haven't.

The 120 pack of Fat Snax comes in a cardboard box so it's better if you have old plastic Fat Snax or other containers to transfer them into - so rodent-proof!

My daughter gets her Fat Snax cheap from Wilcos/Wilkinson (can't remember which) but as far as I know there isn't one round here.

If anyone knows of a cheaper supplier (for the same goods) please let me know. I did get a load of Fat Snax very cheap from Wyevale off the Purley Way once, but I think it must have been at the end of the Winter, can't remember now.

[The Minkey]

Uh oh - a feral pigeon has worked out how to use the hanging feeders. This is not good news..

[louisiana]

Water pistol?

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I saw what I think are Common Ink Cap fungi in P.Rye Park yesterday. They are blue/grey and start off as chunky ovoid heads emerging from the ground, then become very tall and delicate creatures.

Apparently they are edible but have strange effects if taken with alcohol - don't think I'll be trying them anytime soon.

[The Commander]

louisiana Wrote:

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> Water pistol?

Pea shooters are good

[louisiana]

Wouldn't you have to be quite accurate with a pea shooter?

[The Minkey]

Accurate or not, it would still come back for such easy dinner. My only hope is it gets so fat, it becomes easy prey for the terrorista cat before it shares its discovery with the rest of its flock.

On a brighter note I want to say, 'Wow, I've just seen a nuthatch on the hanging feeder!!', which goes a long way to compensating for an otherwise temporary dearth of other birds, apart from the feral pig of course.

[SteveT]

The young robin who has yet to get his/her redbreast is being driven off by his parent, who gave up feeding him several weeks ago.

The adult bird is first and foremost at the food and the only way for young'un to survive is to wait patiently until the parent has finished and flown away, he will then quietly fly in to feast whilst keeping a weather eye open for mum or dad.

[The Minkey]

Is it my imagination, or have the birds bred later this year? They seem to have had an extra brood. Or maybe I wasn't very observant last year..

[SteveT]

It seems there are more babies about this year but there toughest task is the forthcoming winter.

[SteveT]

I have started to put out the odd pear as the temperature drops as it gives nourishment to the blackbirds and some of the sparrows which take the occasional peck at the fruit.

[Otto]

A frog in my back garden this am!

[louisiana]

For years I've spotted a jay's occasional flash of blue high in the trees.

This week for the first time ever I've seen two of them dancing around the lawn for several minutes, all shyness gone.

Interesting to see that they were traversing the landscape perpendicularly to the road (from behind my house to my front garden to the house opposite) rather than along the line of gardens. I suppose rodents/mammals and birds see the urban landscape in quite different ways.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

I saw a pair of jays in Peckham Rye Park yesterday. They were having great fun chasing each other around on the ground in short hops Wonder if they're the same pair?

[lorna63]

There are a couple of Jays that frequent the gardens at the back of Fenwick rd, also it seems to be a regular flight path for the parakettes. During the warmer weather, we had swallows or swifts flying round and round all day, it was lovely. Its a real spot for all sorts of birds here.

[SteveT]

Squirrels have been visiting to clear up any nuts off the hazel.

One of the local neighbourhood moggies (all white background with numerous black splashes) has fun stalking a mouse which has been feeding at one of the birds peanut holders.

The sparrows drive mousey off double quick, as they will not tolerate him feeding at their table, so he only returns to feed when it is quiet.

[The Minkey]

Not much bird life at the moment, I suspect they are out and about making the most of what Autumn is bringing their way up on One Tree Hill and down in the park. Soon come time to set about making fat cakes - very cheap to diy.

[ianr]

There's a slug in my blue box, dear forum, dear forum

[sheilarose]

Two brand new ducklings in the pond at Peckham Rye. I'm sure I have never seen such young birds so late in the year. And there are a few crocuses blooming in Horniman Gardens. The world has gone haywire.

[Sue]

sheilarose Wrote:

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And there are a few crocuses

> blooming in Horniman Gardens. The world has gone

> haywire.

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These may be Autumn Crocuses, or Colchicums?

Lots around at the moment :)

Though yes, for a long time now flowers have been blooming out of season.

[Nero]

Saw a collared dove and wood pigeon eating berries from the pyracantha in my back garden. The former was much better at it than the latter, which just sort of stood about on the branches looking a bit clueless.

[The Minkey]

Oh, that's good to know, Nero. I have a small pyracantha in a pot which is laden with berries but so far attracting no interest from the birds. As I'm trying to plant with the wildlife in mind, I'd wondered if I'd mistaken its desirability.

Still not much birdlife round here but this maybe something to do with the flock of cats which have taken up residence down by the feeders. One is particularly dopey and hasn't got the hang of hunting at all, it's all long runs and flailing paws. The pounce is a move which it hasn't quite worked out, thankfully. Now where can I buy one of those super sloosher water guns?

[Sue]

The Minkey Wrote:

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I have a small

> pyracantha in a pot which is laden with berries

> but so far attracting no interest from the birds.

> As I'm trying to plant with the wildlife in mind,

> I'd wondered if I'd mistaken its desirability.

>

xxxxxxxx

I think there are various varieties of Pyracantha, is yours the one with orange berries? Just wondered if some varieties are more attractive to birds than others.

Re the ducklings at Peckham Rye, there was no sign of them on Sunday afternoon - are they still there?

We seemed to visit at the heron's Activity Hour - he was stuffing his beak like there was no tomorrow, what with I don't know - little fishes? Very entertaining and made a change from his usual musical statues pose. Hopefully he hasn't stuffed his beak with the ducklings :-S